1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to loading apparatus and, more particularly, is directed to a disc loading apparatus for use in a recording and/or reproducing apparatus using a recording medium such as a rotary magnetic disc, a floppy disc or others.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A disc loading apparatus for use with a recording and/or reproducing apparatus, for example, a magnetic recording and/or reproducing apparatus using a rotary magnetic disc is disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Gazette No. 59-177775.
In this conventional disc loading apparatus, a disc holder for holding a disc cassette or a magnetic sheet or disc having a center core is so arranged as to be lowered to or lifted from a disc spindle. A rotatable arm having a bent end portion to contact with the center core is pivotally provided on a main chassis in correspondence with the disc holder. When the disc holder is lowered, the rotatable arm is rotated downward through a linking member to press the center core by its bent end portion, whereby the center core is forcibly engaged with the disc spindle. After he center core is engaged with the disc spindle, the rotatable arm is spring-biased to disengage from the center core by a spring force of a tension spring extended between the rotatable arm and the main chassis.
In the thus constructed conventional disc loading apparatus, the rotatable arm for pressing the center core of the magnetic disc to the disc spindle is only lifted up by the tension spring to be spaced from the disc holder upon non-use, so that when the spring force of the tension spring is lowered or when a large vibration acts on the disc loading apparatus, the rotatable arm is moved toward the main chassis and the bent end portion thereof enters into the inside of the disc holder, thus obstructing insertion of the disc cassette into the disc holder. Also, when the center core is engaged with the disc spindle, this bent end portion contacts with the center core, obstructing the rotation of the center core or magnetic disc. Furthermore, when the disc cassette of the disc is unloaded from the disc spindle and the disc cassette is ejected from the disc holder, if the disc holder is moved upward from the disc holder at a wrong timing relationship, the eject operation of the disc cassette is hindered to cause trouble in the disc loading apparatus.